Cornwall Living
Heart and home
With their fingers truly on the pulse, we ask the Kitchen Kit team for their insights into the latest kitchen trends for 2022.
As the centre of our day-to-day lives at home, a place for us to come together to cook, eat, and meet with friends, the kitchen is the beating heart of the home for many of us. With this in mind, it only makes sense that it not only looks the part, but functions in exactly the way we need it to so that life, at least in the kitchen, feels effortless. In the spirit of dream kitchens for 2022, we’ve been in touch with the team over at Kitchen Kit Ltd for their professional insights into the styles and trends we can expect to see for the coming year.
Let there be light
Kitchens of old were known for their stark, almost industrial lighting. While it’s good to be able to see what you’re cooking, as the modern kitchen has morphed into a sociable space rather than just a food prep area the trend in lighting has become subtler. If you think about it, a kitchen is likely to be the most expensive room in the house and so deserves lighting that ticks both the function and aesthetic boxes. Of course, task lighting is essential but this can be mixed with statement pendants, wall lights or recessed strips. Dimmable and colour changing lights will also be fashionable for 2022.
Under your feet
Flooring is an important consideration in a kitchen space, and can take up to 7% of your budget so it needs to fit for purpose. There is going to be a lot of foot traffic in a kitchen, so your floor will need to handle daily wear and tear. Kitchen floors are also likely to be prone to spills so whichever flooring you choose it needs to be easy to clean. Vinyl has been a popular choice of kitchen floor for decades. Modern, engineered vinyl is available as planks which are incredibly versatile, waterproof and cost-effective. Tiles are also very durable and are available in numerous patterns and colours. A hardwood floor is a more traditional option, but will need to be treated to ensure a waterproof finish. Reclaimed wood flooring and sustainable hardwoods are also an environmentally friendly option.
Pull up a seat
Once you’ve planned out your dream kitchen, it’s important to consider where you will sit to eat. Whether that be at a breakfast bar or around a table, chairs or stools need to be comfortable, functional and stylish and your dining table needs to sit and work well within the space. Is your dining table somewhere that the whole family will gather every day or is it a special occasion table? This will affect whether you opt for a durable, easy-to-clean finish or something with more of a wow factor. Will it double up as a desk? In which case, it will need to be hard-wearing and have enough space to accommodate home workers and homework doers! Shape is also key – a round or oval table will take up less space while rectangular tables look great with bench seating.
On the surface
When it comes to kitchen surfaces this year, stone is definitely going to figure high on the trend list. It’s both practical, stylish and hard wearing, and should be the go-to surface for any budding pastry chef as it stays nice and cold. Marble offers unique veining so you know your worktop will be one of a kind. Quartz is an excellent option if you are looking for a wider colour choice, and for a Cornish kitchen granite is perfect as it will also be in keeping with the local vernacular. Stone worktops aren’t the cheapest option, but they are a wise investment due to their combination of function and longevity.
Don’t fly off the handle!
Handleless kitchens will remain highly sought-after in 2022. You might be asking yourself, what exactly is a handless kitchen and why would I benefit from one? A true handless kitchen, such as Kitchen Kit’s ranges from Nobilia and Ballerina will have grooves in the actual carcasses of the kitchens that allow you to open the doors from either the top or the side. The benefits are many, not least the minimalist look you will achieve due to the smooth unbroken lines of the doors. A handleless kitchen can also take up less space, often with the effect of making a small kitchen look bigger and less cluttered, and there are no knobs or handles to clean or get caught up on!
To find out more and to get your dream kitchen underway, why not book a showroom appointment with the Kitchen Kit experts?
KITCHEN KIT LTD
